Liquid control valve



Dec. 24, 1940. G. J. KOEHLER LIQUID CONTROL VALVE Filed oct. 24, 19

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID CONTROL'VALVEGustave J. Koehler, Dayton, Ohio Application October 24, 1938, SerialNo. 236,666

6 Claims. (Cl. 251-97) This invention relates to liquid now control'valves and the like, and is particularly directed to improvements inthe construction and control 'of such valves.

- The subject of this invention is an improved .liquid control valvewhich controls the flow of liquid from any or all of several supplysources |to a common outlet or source of demand.

It has heretofore been the practice to construct liquid flow controlValves with a tapered cork valve member which bears on a correspondingtapered metal seat.

Valves so constructed have a comparatively short period of usefulnessdue to failure of the .cork in some manner or other.

Chief among the disadvantages of a cork sealv -is its tendency to stick.to the seat and the resulting tearing when it is forced to turn aftersticking. Also any marring of the protecting coat 'of the cork permitsit to become saturated with fluid and leak. Likewise thel cork, throughshrinkage, is likely to become deformed, thus 'ruining its effectivenessas aliquid seal.

The disadvantages outlined above make the valve unreliable andfurthermore may prove ldisastrous when said valve is used, for example,'to control the liquid fuel supply of an air or land vehicle.

Therefore, it .is broadly an object of this 1nvent-ion to provide animproved liquid control valve having many novel features of constructionwhich overcome all ofthe disadvantages and objections stated above, and,in addition, has many novel features of construction and operation notfound in previous valves and which, it is believed,4 constitute adecided advance in the art.

For example, the construction'of the valveof this invention eliminatesentirely theuse of cork las ,a sealing medium and provides a valve thatfis leak-proof to a degree heretofore unknown in Valves of this type.

Whereas, prior Valves were operated manually,

it is an object of this invention to provide means whereby when one ofthe several sources,7 of sup- Iply runs low or is exhausted, the valveis ac- 'tuated automatically to shutoff the flow from said exhaustedsupply source and to open up a 'new supply source. This continues untilall of the supply sources are exhausted of liquid, after which the valveis automatically movedto a posi- :tion where all of the supply sourcesare simultaneously and completely drained of any liquid remainingtherein.

In addition to the automatic actuating mech- ,anism outlined above, afurther object is the provision -of means to operate the valvesemiautomatically, said means being rendered effective by the depressionof an electric push-butt Jn.

A still further object is to suppl'y means for operating the controlvalve manually whenever it is necessary 'or desirable.

Another object is the provision of an automatic warning signal whichfunctions continuously when the liquid supply is dangerously low orexhausted.

vWith these and incidental other objects in view, the invention includescertain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, theessential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and apreferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described withreference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of thisspecification.

Description Referring to the drawing, the liquidcontrol valve of thisinvention has a main casting Ill made of any suitable material andhaving formed therein a cone-shaped opening II, the angular Iface ofwhich is recessed to receive a suitable plastic bearing `or sealingcompound I2 which forms a seat for the cone-shaped head o f a male'valve member I3, made preferably of Anon-cor- .rodible material. Themale member I3 has a tubular stem I 4, one end of which journals in anon-corrodible lbushing I5 pressed into a boring in the casting I0. Theother end of the stem lI4 -journals in a bushing I6 fast in aboring in afthe boring in the casting I0.. The casting I'I is made of the samematerial as the casting I0 and forms av cover for the chamber II and i'ssecured to said casting I0 by a plurality of screwsv I8. 'The gasket I9forms seal between the castings IIll and II. A packing gland 20 fitsover the stem I4 and is compressed between 'an angular 'surface on theupper end of the similar surface in the counter-boring of a pack- 'ingsleeve 2|, said counter-boring being a slip t -on a tenon 22 of thecasting l'l. concentric with the counterboring in the sleeve 2I is ahole which Iis a slip fit on the stem I 4.

bushing i6 and a A compressible spring 23 ts around the stem I4 andbetween the sleeve 2| and a lifter cam member 24, the latter secured totwo yarcuateex tensions of the casting I1, said spring compresses 5 *thegland 20 to form a liquidproof seal. A screw '25 in the tenon-22 freelyengages a slot in the fsleeve 2| to prevent said sleeve from turningwhen the valve stem' I4 is rotated.

Spaced at regular intervals around the main l0 casting I0 are threeinlet openings, numbered I, :2 and 3 respectively, which communicatewith the conical opening I I and are connected by their .'respectivetubes 26 to three separate liquid supply sources of any suitableconstruction. Formed tin the casting I0 are annular rings or bosses 9concentric with the inlet openings I, 2 and 3 and extending to within ashort distance of the sealving surface of the plastic seat' I2. Theserings 'serve to anchor the plastic seat iirmly in place sand eliminateany possibility of small fragments =of said plastic breaking oi andinterfering with voperation of the valve or clogging the outlet opening.A single opening 21 in the conical head of the male valve member I3 isadapted to be 25 brought into register with any of the openings .I, 2and 3 upon rotation of the Valve member I3. A compressible spring 28forces the head' of the valve I3 into engagement `with the plastic valveseat I2.

30 As here shownpthe opening 21'is in registerk `with the inlet openingNo. 3, thus permitting the liquid to ow from the No. 3 supply sourceinto a chamber 30 formed by the hollow conical head of the valve I3 andthe opening II. From the chamber 30 the liquid iiows through a series ofstaggered holes 3I in the stem I4 into the hollow interior of said stem.A plug 32 fast in the hole in the stern I4 obstructs flow of the liquidto the right (Fig. 1) consequently said liquid flows to the left througha hole in the bushing I5 and into an outlet opening 33 connected by atube 34 to a liquid demand source, such as the internal combustionengine of an air or land vehicle. Obviously the head oi' the valve I3obstructs all of the inlet openings except the one in register with theopening 21. y

' The male valve member I3 has iive positions, namely, Nos. 1, 2 and 3inlet positions, a drain position and an oil position. The valve I3 isrotated by a ratchet mechanism and while being rotated a lifter cammechanism lifts the head of l said valve ,oi of the seat I2 tofacilitate the rotation thereof. i

The lifter cam 24 has a clearance hole through which extends thev stem`I4 and also has diametrically opposed cam lugs 35 which cooperate withright-angle cam grooves 3 6 in a female lifter cam 3.1 fast on the righthand end of the stem i I4. Free on the stem I4 is an operating arm 3,8

which iits between the hub' of the cam member 31 and the face of anoperating ratchet 39 secured on the stem I4. A hub of the ratchet 33 hasopposed tenons 40 which are engaged by a slot in Aa disk 4I integralwith a shaft 42 which extends through a clearance hole in a stationaryindicator dial 43 and has secured onits right hand end an operatinglever 44 terminating ina convenient nger piece. The lever 44 provides-means for manually operating the control valve and in cooperation withrepresentative markings on the dial 43 serves as an indicator to theposition of the valve member I3, and incidentally how Vthe control valveis functioning. Operating the lever 44 turns the valve I3, and all theparts secured on the stem thereof, causing on^e of the grooves 33, inthe lifter cam 31, to ride off of the cam lugs 35 to shift the valve I3to the right, against the action of the spring 28, to lift the head ofvsaid valve I3off the seat I2 to ease the turning thereof and toreducewear on 5 the sealing surfaces of the valve members.

The face of the c am 34|', in cooperation with the lugs 35, holds thevalve members apart until the valve member I3 nears its next position,whereupon the corresponding cam groove 36, in conl0 junction with thelugs 35, allows the spring 28 to seat the valve. The grooves 36, incooperation with the lugs 35, also act as a locating device to retainthe valve in its setvposition.

A plurality of thin shims'45 (Fig. 1) between 15 the extensions of thecasting I1 and the lifter cam memberv 24, provide a means of adjustingsaid cam member 24 in relation to its companion member 31 so that theproper degree of lift of the valve member I3 may be obtained. The ten-20on and slot connection between the ratchet 33 and the disk 40 permitssaid ratchet to shift to the right with the valve member I3independently of said disk.

The right angle grooves 36 (Fig. 1) correspond 25 to four of the iivepositions of the valve member I3 as marked on the dial 43 and namelyNos. 1,

2 and 3 supply source positions and an off position. When the valve isin o position the hole 21 is opposite a solid portion of the seat I2. 30

While only three supply sources are here shown, it is obviously a simplematter to increase or decrease the number of supply sources withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In addition to the four positions described 35 above, thevalve member I3(Figs. 1 and 2) has a fifth or complete drain position which is midwaybetween the No. 3 and o positions, as indicated by the marking D on thedial 43 and said position is determined by a depression 46 in the 40left hand face of the ratchet 33, in cooperation with a pawl 41fulcrumed on an extension of the cam member 24. A spring 48 urges thepawl clockwise into contact with the face of the ratchet 39.

After the third and final supply source has been exhausted, turning thevalve member I3 to the D" or drain position causes the pawl 41 to engagethe depression 43 to obstruct further movement of said member. In thisposition the '50 cam lugs 35, in cooperation with the face of the cammember 31, hold the face. of the valve member I3 off of the seat I2,thus forming an opening which permits all of the supply-sources tocompletely drain through said opening, then through 55 the hole 21 andaround the largest diameter of the conical valve head into the chamber30 and thence to the outlet or demand source.

. A wire or cable 49 (Fig. 1) connects the pawl 41 to a pull knob 50,conveniently located for the 60 operator, and provides a means fordisengaging' said pawl from the notch 46.

In addition to Ithe manual means for operating the control valve,automatic and semi-automatic means are also provided for operating saidvalve, 65 nd such means will now be described.

. The arm 38 (Figs. 1 and 2) which it will be recalledl is rotatableindependently of the stem I4,

has pivotally mounted thereon a pawl 5I urged clockwise by spring 52into engagement with 70 four equally spaced teeth 53 in the periphery ofthe ratchet 33. 'I'he range of movement of the arm 33 is between twostop studs 54 and 55 (Figs. 1 and 2), and a torsion spring 56 urges saidarm '38 counterclockwise to normallyl maintain said 75 arm in contactwith the stop stud 54. 'I'he bentover .end of a rod 51 engages a. holein the upper end of the arm 38 and is retained in place by twocotterkeys. The other end of the rod 51 is pivotally connected to thecore yof a solenoid "58 adapted to be energized by a battery 59 (Fig.2), or any other suitable electrical source.

The chamber 30 (Fig. 1) formed in the castings I and I1 of the controlvalve, is connected by a tube 60 to a bellows 6I (Fig. 2) and when thepressure in said chamber 30 decreases, due to the exhausting oftheliquid from the supply source, pressure is relieved in'said bellows 6I.This permits 'the said bellows 6I to contract vcausing a contact member62, connected thereto,.to close the circuit between the battery 59 andthe solenoid 58, thereby energizing said solenoid.

The magnetic pull of the solenoid, by means of the rod 51, actuatesthe/arm 38 in a clockwise direction, as observed in Fig. 2, against theaction of the spring 56 from the full line position to the dot and dashline position, as determined by the stop stud 55. Clockwise movement ofthe arm 3B causes the pawl I, in cooperation with one of the teeth 53 inthe ratchet 39, to rotate said ratchet and the stem I4 of the Valvemember I3 clockwise in unison therewith, as observed in Fig. 2. Clock-`Wise movement of the valve member I3 moves said valve member from theexhausted supply position to the next position, thus opening up a newsupply source. The solenoid 58 remains energized and as a result the arm38 remains in moved position until the new supplysource creates enoughpressure to expand the bellows 6I and break the circuit to saidsolenoid.

It can be readily seen that automatic operation of the valve member I3,from one supply source to the next, as the pressure decreases in 'thechamber 3l), will continue until said control valve has moved throughall of the supply positions -and nally comesto rest'in the completedrain position, explained earlier herein in connection with manualoperation of the control valve. A push-button switch 63 (Fig. '2) isprovided for closing the circuit between thebattery 59 and the solenoid58, thus providing semi-automatic j means for energizing said solenoidand operating the arm 38 to Aactuate the .control valve in the mannerexplained above. l

An automatic warning signal, such as an electric light 64 (Fig. 2) orany other suitable device, is connected in the circuit of the solenoid58 and functions -continuously when low pressure inthe bellows 6 IIcloses the circuit to said solenoid, thus directing attention to thefact that the liquid supply source is in a low or exhaustedv condition.

It can be readily understood, by observing Fig". 1, that theconstruction of the control lvalve, of this invention, is such that ifanyliquid should happenv to leak between the sealing surfaces of thevalve members, such liquid will enter the chamber 30 and flo-w therefromto the outlet source, thus providing a further valuable safetyprecaution in case the seat should become defec tive and leak liquid.The construction of former control valves is such that any liquid whichleaks between the sealing surfaces of the valve mem.- bers `is free toow outside of the valve, vaporize and collect invarious pockets as ahighly innammable gas, thus creating a hazard when the valve is used tocontrol the fuel supply of land or air vehicles. K

The four positions or teeth 53 in the ratchet 39 correspond to the camgrooves 36, which it will let openings; means eiective mand source, and

' nally to drain fective when the positions and the"ol depressionsadapted to be 3 be recalled correspond to the supply positions Nos. 1,'2 and 3 and the "oiP position.

summarizing briey, the above specification discloses an improved liquidcontrol valve whichy eifectivelyovercomes all of the disadvantages andshortcomings of former control valves, of this.

type, and'in addition provides a control valve having many novelfeatures of construction and operation not found in said former controlvalves.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirablyadapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understoodthat it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form orembodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment invarious forms, allcoming Within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquid control device, the combination of a valve body having avalve seat formed therein, said seat having a plurality of inletopenings from as many liquid supply sources; a rotatable valve memberjournaled in the valve body and cooperating with the seat .to formaliquid seal, said member having an opening therein adapted to be movedinto register with-the various inlet openings as the valve member isrotated `to connect the various supply sources to a demand Source;yieldable meansto retain the valve member in engagement with the seat;a-cam contrivance effective upon rotation of the valve member toseparate said valve ease rotationthereof, said contrivance alsoeffective under influence of the yieldable means to locate the Valvemember in register with the inafter all the supply sources have beendepleted, to arrest rotation of the valve member in a. 'position wherethe cam contrivance will retain said valve member oil the seat to permitall the remaining liquid in the various supply sources to flow into thedemand source; and manual means to render the arresting meansineiective.

In a device of the class described, the com- A bination of a liquid nowcontrol member, having position, several supply posi-.

a neutral or olf tions, to connect as many supply sources to *a deadrain of the supply sources are simultaneously connected to the demandsource; means to rotate the control member progressively from oilposition through the several supply positions and coacting with saidcontrol member to simultaneously connect all of the supply sources tothe demand source, said contrivance also acting to locate the controlmember in the various supply position; and spring actuated meanselective after the control member has passed through all of the supplypositions to arrest said control` member in drain position, in whichposition the cam contrivance causes said control member tosimultaneously drain all of the supply sources of any liquid remainingtherein.

3. In a liquid control valve, the combination position where allposition; a cam contrivance efcontrol member is rotated and member fromthe seat to of a body portion having an opening formed therein with anoutlet port connecting therewith, one surface of said opening beingcone-shaped and having a plurality of inlet ports therein; annular ringsformed around each of the inlet ports by depressions in the conicalsurface, said filled with a plastic material which extends slightlyabove the annular rings and the adjacent conical surface; a

positionable valve member having a hollow stem connecting with theoutlet port and a frustoconical head with a' comparatively thin wall,the outer surface of which is adapted to engage the plastic seat to forma liquid seal, said head having an opening therein which, upon'operation of the valve, is adapted to connect the various inlet portswith a chamber formed by the inside surface of the conical valve headand the opening in the body portion, said chamber connected to theoutlet port by holes in the hollow stem of the valve member incooperation with said hollow stem; a packing member to seal the valvestern against leakage; a comparatively strong spring to compress thepacking member; a comparatively weak spring to retain the valve memberin contact with the plastic seat; and means actuated by the latterspring to yieldingly retain the valve member in its different positions.

4. In a control valve for controlling the flow of volatile liquid fuelfrom several supply sources to a demand source, such as an internalcombustipn engine, the combination of a body portion having an openingformed therein, one surface of said opening being cone-shaped and havinga plurality of inlet openings therein, each connecting with itsrespective supply source, said cone-shaped surface also having an outletopening therein connecting with the liquid demand source; annular ringsformed around each inlet opening by a recess inthe conical surface; aplastic material, such as synthetic rubber, molded into the recess toform a resilient valve seat; a frusto-conical valve head with a hollowinterior, the outer surface of said head adapted to engage the plasticmaterial to form a liquid seal, said head having an opening thereinadapted to connect the various inlet openings with a chamber formed bythevhollow interior of said head and 40 the body portion, upon rotationof the valve member; a stem integral with the frusto-conical head, saidstem having a hollow portion which connects with the outlet opening, anda plurality of holes therein for connecting the hollow portion thereofwith the chamber to form a connection between the various inlet openingsand the outlet opening, upon rotation of the valve; and means, effectiveupon rotation of the valve, to separate the outer surface of thefrusto-conii cal head from the plastic seat to ease the turning of saidvalve.

5. In a control valve for controlling the flow of volatile liquid fuelfrom several supply sources to a source of demand, the combination of abody portion having an opening therein formingl a conical surfacec'ommunicatingvwi-th several inlet ports, said ports connecting with thesev` eral supply sources; around each inlet port by depressions in the00' conical surface, said depressions adapted to be filled with aplastic material, such as synthetic rubber, which extends a slight-distance above the annular rings and the conical surface to form aresilient valve seat; a valve member comprising a hollow stem, oppositeends of which are journaled in the body portion, said hollow stemconeach an annular ring formedv necting with an outlet port in said bodyportion, and a cup-shaped conical head integral with the hollow stem,the outer surface of said conical head cooperating with the resilientseat to form a liquid seal, said conical head having an opening which isbrought into register with the various inlet ports, upon rotation of thevalve member, to connect said ports with a chamber formed by theinterior of the cup-shaped head and the opening in the body portion,said chamber adapted to be connected with the outlet port by a pluralityof openings in the hollow stem, which connect said chamber to the hollowportion of said stem; yieldable means to retain the outer surface of theconical valve head in contact with the resilient valve seat; and meansactuated by the yieldable means to retain the opening in the valve headin register with the various inlet ports when the valve member isrotated from one position to another.

6. In a liquid control valve, for controlling the flow of volatileliquid fuel such as gasoline, from several supply sources to theinternal combustion engine of an air or land vehicle, the combination ofa body portion having an opening therein forming a conical surface withseveral inlet ports merging therewith, necting with one of theV severalsupply sources, said opening having connecting therewith an outlet portin turn connecting with the internal combustion engine; annular ringsformed around inlet port by depressions in the conical surface, saiddepressions adapted to be filled with Aa moldable material, such assynthetic rubber,

said inlet ports with a chamber formed by the interior surface of thecup-shaped head and the opening in the body portion; a valve stemintegral with the conical head and journaled in the body portion, saidstem having a hollow portion connecting with the outlet-port, saidhollow portion in turn connected with the chamber 4formed by thecup-shaped head and the opening in the body portion by a plurality ofopenings in said stem; yieldable means to retain the exterior surface ofthe conical head in contact with the resilient seat; and means includingmale and female c amv members carried respectively by the body portionandthe valve stem and operable against the yieldable means to lift theexterior surface of the conical head away from the resilient seat, uponrotation of said stem and said conical head, to ease the rotationthereof, said means also adapted to locate the opening in said conicalhead in register with the inlet ports as said conical head is rotatedfrom one position l to another.

each of said inlet ports conl

